


each other's team

by carrotycake



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: (thanks america), Alternate Universe - College/University, College AU, F/M, Gen, Humor, Humour, Shiro gets roasted by the squad, eventual Klance, frequently, shallura - Freeform, this is the worst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-28
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-20 12:49:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9491606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carrotycake/pseuds/carrotycake
Summary: In another life, the paladins aren't fighting an intergalactic war, but are instead college students attempting to deal with life's problems the only way they know how: through hormones, memes, and copious amounts of instant noodles in shitty student apartments.A collection of drabbles from my Voltron College AU.





	1. an introduction to the pal(adin)s// in which shiro gets roasted

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a funny idea, but now I can't get it out of my head lol :P
> 
> Some background info: Keith, Lance, Hunk & Pidge are freshmen. Shiro is a senior. Allura is doing her Master's (fifth year). They're all friends through circumstance (will write a thing for this later). Shiro, Allura and Matt share an apartment. The others all live in the same block in student dorms.
> 
> (My knowledge of the American college system is basically all from movies and TV, so please correct me if I'm wrong - I go to uni in the UK but I'm aware some stuff is different)
> 
> edit: changed the title! apparently inspiration only comes either a) in the middle of the night or b) in the form of song

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro has an embarrassing secret which is unknowingly revealed by Allura.

“So, I heard you and Allura had sex in the library.” Lance was lounging upside-down on the couch, his feet dangling over the edge of the sofa.

Shiro spluttered and almost spat out his drink. “You – what?! I...we didn’t...”

Pidge patted him on the elbow patronizingly. “It’s okay,” she said, “Your secret’s safe with us.”

“Yeah,” added Hunk, “It’s totally cool, man. I’ve heard it’s a pretty common thing to do.”

Keith said nothing, but when Shiro tried to meet his eyes, he merely smirked. _Ugh._

“Guys, drop it,” groaned Shiro, “Nothing of the sort happened.”

“You and Allura have been dating for how long, exactly?” asked Lance, giving Shiro what could only be described as a shit-eating grin. He sighed in defeat.

“About a year.”

“And that was your first time _doing it_ in the library?”

“No!” All four of his friends cracked up with laughter. Shiro quickly realised he had to amend his original statement. “No – no, I meant – we didn’t _do anything_ in the library!”

“Sounds like you, Lance,” Keith was idly scrolling through his phone, apparently ignoring most of the drama unfolding before him. Lance glared at him.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“The first and last time you went to the library, I believe, was over two months ago, and you just made paper aeroplanes the whole time we were there, ‘for science’.”

“Keith, we’re studying aeronautical engineering! The paper aeroplanes were...relevant...to my homework.”

“You hit me in the face. Six times.”

“See! Relevant.” Lance coughed knowingly, swinging his legs over from the back of the sofa and sitting up. “Anyway, we’re getting away from the point.”

Shiro frowned. “The point being?”

“The _point_ , my friend, is that you had sex with your girlfriend in the college library.”

“You’re not letting this go, are you? I told you, it didn’t happen,” he huffed. He was fond of his friends, but _sometimes_ the fact that they were freshmen and he was a senior came across very strong. Allura always joked that he was prematurely middle-aged, which he didn’t totally disagree with.

“Okay,” said Pidge, straightening her glasses nonchalantly, “But were you, or were you not, both in the library until approximately 2:40 in the morning on Thursday night last week?”

Shiro swallowed. “That is correct. I couldn’t sleep, and Allura agreed to stay up and do some late-night studying with me. I had exams, you know.”

“Aw yeah,” said Hunk, _“Studying.”_

“I was!” muttered Shiro indignantly. “I don’t know about you guys, but these tests actually determine my final grade on my diploma. You all need to grow up, because Allura and I _did not-”_

“What didn’t we do, love?”

 _Oh my god._ Shiro wanted the ground to open up and swallow him whole. Allura – the very person who did _not_ need to be privy to this conversation – had appeared at the door to the small living room, holding shopping bags full of food and was in the process of taking off her jacket. She smiled, innocently, and Shiro could feel himself going very, _very_ red.

“Nothing, Allura, everyone seems to think it funny to say we-”

“We were just talking about how you and Shiro had sex in the library,” interrupted Pidge, nonchalantly. Allura’s face went blank for a moment, and then she nodded eagerly.

“Oh! I see. Well, it _was_ rather fun. We should do it again sometime, Shiro.”

Shiro felt his soul leave his body. He just about managed to nod weakly at Allura, before slowly laying down on the ground and covering his head with his hands.

“Nice!” exclaimed Lance, “We didn’t know for sure, but since we heard it from you, Allura, we have to take it as a fact!”

“Oh my god,” Shiro spluttered, “You just _guessed_?”

“Pretty much,” replied Pidge, “We were totally just fishing. I heard from Matt that you guys got back from the library, like, super late, but that was all.”

“Impressive detective work, I gotta say,” said Hunk.

“Yes, well,” muttered Shiro, from his prone position on the floor, “I’ll be here...”

“Guys, I think we’ve broken Shiro,” said Hunk, as Lance and Pidge yowled with laughter. Allura rested her shopping bags on the floor and came to sit cross-legged next to him. He opened one eye and glared at her.

“I can’t believe you would do this to me,” he whispered. Allura grinned, and patted him gently on the chest.

“I’ll make it up to you later,” she purred, leaning to kiss him, and Shiro felt heat bloom in his chest for very different reasons.

“Ugh, gross!”

“Get a _room!”_

Allura pulled away from him, and Shiro saw the knowing expression on her face. He saw what was coming and thanked whatever gods there were that this wasn’t directed at him.

“We did,” smirked Allura, “It’s called the engineering and physical sciences section, 9th floor.”

“OH MY GOD, NO!”

Keith had his head in his hands, Hunk had stuck both fingers in his ears, muttering ‘la la la’ to himself, Pidge was looking like she might throw up, and Lance was staring at the floor, shaking his head mutely.

Shiro held up his hand, which Allura quickly high-fived, giggling. “Nice comeback,” he said, “I’m not sure they’ll be able to recover from that.”

Allura rolled her eyes. “Oh, I’m sure it won’t take them too long.”

Hunk cleared his throat. “Nope, ah, you know what, I’m done with teasing Shiro. Allura’s just too good, man. We’re not on her level,” he protested.

“We won’t mention that you got burned by Allura if you never, _ever_ speak of this again,” replied Shiro, raising an eyebrow at his friends. They all nodded, fervently.

“Oh, yeah.”

“Got it!”

“Never again!”

 

(Shiro didn't believe them for a second.)


	2. icebreakers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Professor Coran Smythe's classes are famous...for certain reasons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aah I meant to update this so much sooner, whoops. Sorry this one is a bit shorter, once I finish this semester my life (and update schedule) should get back on track! 
> 
> In the meantime, have some Coran (the gorgeous man) - man i really want to work that line in somewhere in this fic lol

“Good morning everyone! I’m glad to see so many bright and enthusiastic young faces attending the first class of the semester...”

Coran trailed off, looking around the seminar room. Several people yawned, eyelids twitching. He sighed. The 9AM class was never going to be easy. He cleared his throat noisily.

“Ahem. As I was saying, my name is Professor Smythe, and I’m going to be taking you through the _intricate_ and _complex_ nature of mechanical engineering theory this semester! With a healthy side-dose of particle physics and xenobiology, of course.” He winked, hoping to spark some excitement into his young first years.

Another yawn. Coran sighed. It was time for some drastic action.

“Okay, then! Before we open our brand-new textbooks, I’d like you all to stand up on your chairs.”

There were some murmurs of confusion as the students looked at each other, puzzled. One student, a kind-looking boy with an orange headband, raised his hand.

“Uh, professor? Why do we have to stand on our chairs?”

Coran smoothed his moustache proudly. “It’s time to get rid of the awkwardness in the room – come on everyone, up you get!”

To demonstrate, he stood up on his own chair, spreading his arms wide. His students stared back with a mixture of apprehension and dismay. The same boy who had asked the question – a quick look at the register named him as Hunk – sighed in defeat, and then hauled himself up onto his chair. The other dozen or so pupils soon followed, grumbling to themselves as they wobbled unsteadily onto their feet.

Coran beamed. “Perfect! Now, everyone hold hands.”

At this point, his students seemed resigned to this early-morning weirdness (although Coran preferred to call it creativity) and gingerly all took each other’s hands. In turn, Coran took the hands of the two students closest to him, and shook them tightly.

“Now, I’m going to make you a promise,” he said, moustache bristling merrily, “I’d like you all to take note:

‘I, Professor Coran Hieronymus Wimbleton Smythe, distinguished academic and teacher at this prestigious University, do hereby swear to do everything in my power to pass on my extensive knowledge to the next generation of students, and assist you in the passing of your exams. And, my door is always open to you if you need it!’”

It was a statement he swore every year, with every new batch of students; he wasn’t going to let anyone fail on his watch. Being one of the university’s assigned guidance counsellors, he was acutely aware of the struggles students faced outside of class as well as in. So, he had made a promise (to himself as well as his many students) that he would try and understand, and let them know that he would be there to assist in any way. At least, he _hoped_ that was how it came across. Currently, his class looked, quite frankly, a little bemused.

Still, this little exercise wouldn’t do them any harm. Whilst before the students seemed barely awake, they now looked like they would at least be able to pay attention for the remaining forty-six minutes of the class.

He let go of the students’ hands, and gestured for them all to sit. After a few minutes of havoc – Hunk had fallen off his chair as he tried to climb down, bringing the adjacent student (an enthusiastic, chirpy girl named Shay) down with him – they were all settled, opening their textbooks and waiting patiently for Coran to begin his seminar.

Coran smiled. Despite their initial reluctance, they seemed like a good batch of students.

“Now,” he said, “I’d like you all to get into pairs and come up with a fun rhyme for your partner’s name.”

Everyone groaned. _Good._ That meant his icebreakers were working.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> endings are so hard to think up?? anyway please feel free to send me prompts and stuff here or @carrotycake on tumblr, inspiration is always appreciated! :D


	3. the tricycle incident

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Lance, what the – where the hell did you get a tricycle? And why the hell are you riding it? In - our - corridor?!"
> 
> In which Lance and Keith have a collision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow, a regular update! honestly i surprise myself. please believe me when i say i have lots of unfinished drafts....i will get round to them all eventually  
> Thanks also to my friend Katie who helped me out with some ideas in this chapter! They said to credit them otherwise I'm a "piece of shit" so.... :P
> 
> anyways, enjoy some bickering klance!

“Coming through, coming through!”

“Lance, what’re you – _ow!”_

The two boys collided heavily, sending them both to the floor. Keith groaned, taking a second to regain his bearing. He had just been on his way to the kitchen to get a snack when _Lance_ had come zooming out of nowhere on what appeared to be a child’s tricycle and barrelled straight into his groin. After that, he vaguely remembered colliding with both Lance and the wall at some point on his way down. And he was in _so much pain oh my god-_

“Sorry! Didn’t see you there,” Lance muttered weakly, somewhere to the left of where Keith was lying, groaning.

“Lance, what the – where the _fuck_ did you get a tricycle? And why the hell are you riding it? In – aahhh – our corridor?!”

Lance gingerly rubbed the back of his head. “Uh. Okay, so long story short, when Hunk, Pidge and I were out last night, we came across-”

Keith held a hand up. “You know what? I don’t need to know. Just – please – get off me.” They were a mess of tangled limbs, and his foot was starting to go dead. Lance’s body weight on top of his was starting to feel dangerously uncomfortable. This was _not_ how he had wanted to get closer to Lance! Sometimes, he hated the universe.

To make matters worse, he heard the familiar sound of doors opening behind him.

“Ew. You guys should get a room.” Pidge commented idly, stepping over their legs.

“Shut. Up.”

Pidge snorted. “Whatever. It’s my turn on the tricycle next.”

“Just give us a heads up when you’re riding it in the corridor,” Lance muttered weakly, as Pidge disappeared into the kitchen, “I made that mistake already.”

“Yeah, some _warning_ might have been nice!” Keith glared at Lance.

“Hey, I did yell just as-”

“-Just as I stepped in your way, yes! Thanks for that,” he said, struggling to remove his foot out from under Keith’s – oh _god_ was that his _ass?_ Fuck.

“Ow! What do you think you’re doing?! Pervert!” Lance yelped, trying to wiggle away, and only being marginally successful.

“I wasn’t – you’re the one that fell on me!”

“Oh, so this is _my_ fault now?”

“In a word: yes.”

Lance seemed to ponder that for a second. “Okay, that’s fair.”

Keith sighed. “I think I’m stuck.”

“Me too.” Lance frowned. “I know who we can call!”

“What?”

“Hunk! He does mechanics, he’ll know a way to untangle this mess.”

As if on cue, Hunk’s bedroom door opened and he peered out, apprehensively. “Uh...what happened here?”

“As you can see, Hunk, my buddy, my pal, we’ve gotten ourselves into a...slight predicament.” Lance was trying (and failing) to look nonchalant – a feat made harder by the fact that he was currently lying sprawled over Keith, his arm wedged under one of the tricycle’s wheels. Keith closed his eyes. His foot had _definitely_ gone dead.

“O-kay...” said Hunk, slowly, “I’m not even gonna ask. Do you need a hand?”

“More like a leg,” muttered Keith, straining to try and remove his legs out from under Lance. Hunk blinked once, before his face split into a huge grin.

“Hey, Keith made a joke! Keith made a joke!” He clapped, happily.

Lance whipped round. “No way! You must be hallucinating, Hunk. Keith doesn’t make _jokes_ like the rest of us mere mortals.”

Keith glared at the two of them. “Please, just get us out of this mess. Then we can all go back to normal and pretend this never happened.”

Hunk shrugged. “If you’re sure.” He grabbed Lance under the arms and pulled, ignoring Lance’s wails as he was forcibly disentangled from the tricycle. Keith managed to wiggle his legs, sliding away so that Lance could stand up.

“Need a hand, buddy?” Hunk held a hand out so that Keith could stand. He accepted, reluctantly, only to find himself falling over again. He hadn’t quite anticipated the level of numbness his right leg had achieved in the short time he’d been under Lance. _Under Lance, ew,_ the twelve-year-old in his mind helpfully supplied. _Thanks, Brain._

Lance, meanwhile, was chuckling at Keith’s pitiful attempts to stand. Keith ignored the pain shooting up his leg and around his crotch, limping angrily back to his room.

“You know, I think I’ll attach an airhorn to the tricycle. Can’t miss it that way...” Lance was rolling the tricycle into the kitchen, Hunk following behind.

“I’m sure Pidge has one we can borrow...” Hunk replied, and Keith slapped a palm to his forehead. He had the _worst_ housemates.

 

* * *

 

 

_[New message from: Shiro]_

_[S]: So, I heard you had fun bonding with your flatmates today ;)_

_[K]: w h a t_  
[K]: Shiro what did you hear  
[K]: i swear to god

_[S]: I, uh, wasn’t supposed to show you, but..._

_[K]: SHIRO_

_[Shiro sent a picture: “shenanigans.jpg”]_

_[S]: Pidge sent this to Matt earlier_  
[S]: think she was planning on using it as blackmail  
[S]: ;)

 _[K]: oh my god_  
[K]: the LITTLE shit  
[K]: i can’t believe they got it all on camera

_[S]: Having fun, were you? ;)_

_[K]: shiro stop sending winking smilies_  
[K]: that’s LANCE, of course I wasn’t having fun  
[K]: in my defence, HE slammed into ME  
[K]: i also have nothing to do with the stolen tricycle  
[K]: for the record

_[S]: You doth protest too much, methinks_

_[K]: i hate you_

_[S]: ;)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is only partly influenced by first year of uni, living in student halls...my flatmates got wildly drunk, went to our local (awful) nightclub, somehow came back with a child's scooter. it was pink and we took it in turns to ride it up and down the hallway. the day after, there were people at our door (also students) who claimed it was theirs and that my flatmates stole their scooter. i don't think the mystery was ever solved, but the scooter did disappear from our flat after about a week. 
> 
> I should add that Keith, Lance, Hunk and Pidge in this fic are all over 18 - so, legal drinking age. i probably won't write much about them getting drunk or anything but i'm covering all my bases just in case! (the scooter story from my uni was definitely carried out under the influence of alcohol lol)

**Author's Note:**

> Prompts and ideas etc. for my shitty AU are welcomed btw! :D Find me as carrotycake on tumblr!


End file.
